Many homes have a designated room or laundry area where a washing machine and dryer are located. Owners of such homes are thus provided with a convenient place for doing laundry which is out-of-site of visitors. However, not all homes have a sufficient space for laundry rooms or designated wash areas. In smaller homes, the washing machine and dryer are sometimes located in one of the living areas of the home. For example, it is quite common to find the washing machine and dryer located in the kitchen of a home.
When appliances, such as a washing machine and dryer, are located in a living area of the home, it is common to conceal the appliance behind folding doors. In some homes, the use of folding doors to conceal the appliance are not practical, or are too expensive. Thus, some persons have no alternative but to leave the appliances exposed to full view.
Another problem associated with the use of appliances in smaller homes is that the appliances take up a relatively large amount of space which might otherwise be used for other purposes. For example, the location of the appliances in the kitchen of a small home reduces the amount of space available for cabinets and counters. Thus, homeowners are often forced to choose between having the appliance, or having additional cabinets and counters.